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Crossroads to Crime (1960)
Gerry Anderson was given a chance to direct a rather slight routine drama, but at least there's a nice final twist.
"Mr Miles says, Right Now!" so Connie (Miriam Karlin) has to down tools at the roadside cafe where she works. A policeman sees her being forced away into a car and attempts to prevent her abduction. When Constable Ross (Anthony Oliver) regains consciousness, he's told that he was found lying at the side of a road. Mr Miles' kind henchman Diamond (George Murcell) has kindly brought him home. So why does Diamond hand £50 in cash to Ross' wife?
Meantime, Connie has finally been brought face to face with Mr Miles (Ferdy Mayne). "You've been stepping out of line," she's warned. It seems Miles uses the cafe as a storage depot for all his gang's stolen goods.
Ross has been watching the cafe and next day visits Connie there hoping she might talk. Coincidentally Diamond and his men are stealing the cargo from a lorry parked outside. Ross never even notices anything.
Miles plans one final heist, an £80,000 haul from another lorry. "Works too easy," observes Diamond, who's getting cold feet with all those police snooping round. Ross pretends to accept Diamond's £50 and even some more cash. So much so, that Diamond thinks he's bent and gets him to act as security escort on the lorry they're going to rob. When the driver Len reaches the cafe, Ross asks him to warn the police. Len has to be silenced of course. So Ross has to single-handedly stop the goods being taken. In a lengthy showdown, it's rather one sided as only Diamond has a shooter. The angry Diamond stalks Ross, to finish him off.
Wallace
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The Twisted Candle (1960)
Good screenplay by Philip Mackie featuring Francis de Wolff, who often appeared like a left over from silent screen villainy. He plays Koradis who contacts Scotland Yard as he wants a direct phone line installed to there from his fortress-like home. Someone, he claims, has threatened to kill him.
He then orders a Mr Viney (Richard Vernon miscast) to blackmail his business colleague John (David Knight). Koradis lends John a gun, just in case, for when his blackmailer contacts him, but John is puzzled "I can't understand how this man Viney knows anything about me."
Solid old Bernard Lee plays Meredith of the Yard who investigates Viney's death. He interviews Koradis who denies all knowledge of lending John his gun, or indeed knowledge of any blackmail letter. Meredith resolves to get Koradis "if it's the last thing I do."
After a long search Viney's gun is found down a well. In his bedsit a draft of Viney's blackmail letter is discovered. Meredith decides that John is innocent but preempting a possible release from prison, John manages to escape anyway. He contacts Meredith and arranges to give himself up at 10pm. This he does, threatening to kill Koradis if he ever gets the chance. But Koradis is already dead.
So whodunnit? The other suspects are:
His secretary, daughter of one of Koradis' blackmail victims
The shadowy business partner of Koradis, Dr Griswald or
Did the butler do it for once?! Manservant Pike has been caught helping himself to his master's possessions.
Even more intriguing, how was it actually done, for Koradis is found murdered inside his locked room? And why are two candlesticks missing from the holder?
Wallace
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Marriage of Convenience (1960)
At a Registry Office, Miss Blair, acting a little oddly, awaits her bridegroom, a Mr Wilson "from the country." And there he is, arriving in a police car! Suddenly he punches his escorts and escapes on a scooter.
Convicted bank robber Larry Wilson (John Cairney) and Barbara Blair are later reunited in her stepdad's garage. She wants her £5,000 for helping Larry get away, but first Larry has to collect the proceeds of his robbery from Tina, daughter of the manager of the robbed bank. What a surprise, she's not at home! Apparently she got marrried- but noone knows where she is now. Larry breaks into the Registry Office to discover that Tina married John Mandle, a real shock, as he's the copper, now retired, who nicked Larry! As Mandle of the Yard, he's now writing a lucrative column for The Evening News.
At the Yard Supt Carver (Trevor Reid) orders "rough provincial" Inspector Bruce (Harry H Corbett) to recapture the escapee. He tracks down Miss Blair, but just too late as she's off with Larry after Mandle and his new wife, who are living somewhere in the coastal town of St Gerrard.
Disguised as an onion seller, Larry scours the town; Inspector Bruce however knows where Mandle lives and renews an old acquaintance. Mandle is doing pretty well in his retirement: "it's better than a police pension." But as Bruce doesn't meet Tina, he doesn't twig quite what's going on, and simply believes Larry is after Mandle for revenge.
Larry tracks down Mandle's home, but he's not there, only Tina. "Where's Mandle?" he shouts at her. He forces her to take him to her husband who is at a boatyard. Bruce is hot on their tails.
Mandle comes face to face with Larry: "I was wondering when you were going to turn up... interesting change, the criminal who tracks down the detective!" Silently Inspector Bruce pounces to make his arrest.
A straightforward chase story, but exciting Wallace Menu
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The Malpas Mystery (1960)
Rather a mystery story, being the only one of the series produced by Julian Wintle and Leslie Parkyn, with incidental music from Elisabeth Lutyens.
The plot however is pure Edgar. Emerging from Holloway Prison is Audrey Bedford (Maureen Swanson). Dora her stepsister (Sandra Dorne) reluctantly allows her to stay, and introduces her to successful business friend Marshall (Allan Cuthbertson). Keeping a watchful eye on Audrey is Inspector Shannon (Ronald Howard) who is also investigating Marshall's recluse neighbour at 31 Norton Square, Mr Malpas who makes "mysterious sounds."
Audrey is offered a job with the Stormer Agency, despite the fact they know of her prison record. The agency has actually been engaged by rich Mr Torrington (Geoffrey Keen) who is looking for his long lost daughter and also for the man who caused him to go to jail. Dora gets wind of Torrington's search, and poses as his daughter to get his fortune. Really of course it's Audrey who should inherit his two millions!
Audrey's job takes her to Malpas' home. He sits in the dark with a mask on his face. Audrey's second visit provides a shock. No Mr Malpas, only the body of Marshall! She fetches the police but when they arrive there's no corpse in view. Inspector Shannon tears the house apart but except for a carelessly dropped diamond (!), he only finds a dubious crook called Sam (Alan Tilvern) lurking on the roof. Then Mr Marsall appears alive and well in his home next door: "you gave a very good imitation of a corpse." He shows the bullet proof jacket he is wearing.
Torrington has seen through Dora's pretence. She'd taken him to visit his real quarry, Malpas, where there'd been shots. Torrington recovered the diamonds he believes Malpas stole from him.
Audrey obtains another job, working for Torrington. She also gets attention from Marshall who offers her marriage. You see, he knows she will inherit from Torrington. She refuses, but he won't take no for an answer. He locks her in a secret room in the adjoining house, No.31.
Torrington is offered a deal- the diamonds for Audrey. So to the showdown at No.31. "Come in Torrington," cries a dismembered voice. The masked man wants Torrington's gun first. Torrington returns the diamonds, but has no sight yet of Audrey.
Meanwhile Sam has told Dora of Marshall's designs on Audrey. We learn Audrey went to jail for the crime Dora had committed and Marshall is planning to shop her: "you won't look so glamorous after five or six years in Holloway." So Dora tells Sam where Audrey is hidden. Sam arrives at 31 with Shannon, and Malpas alias Marshall barely escapes. There's a chase over the rooftops before the predictable occurs. The masked Malpas falls over the parapet, and once dead on the ground, his mask has fallen away.
There's a happy conclusion with more characters exposed- Slippery Sam is nice Mr Stormer of the Agency, and Audrey revealed as Torrington's heiress. However she retires having been offered "a purely domestic position" with kind Insp Shannon. At any rate, those are the main sub plots in this complex tale!
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Partners in Crime (1961)
"A creature of habit" pores over his executive papers in his study. But not tonight- he's shot dead by an amateur safe robber. "He'd have done a better job with a tin opener," quips the investigating officer Inspector Mann (familiar Bernard Lee). Whodunnit? Freda, the distraught wife (Moira Redmond) or Frank Merril (John van Eyssen), a long term business partner at Cool-Kups? The answer is Frank - well, we are shown him paying off Holland, the Aussie 'burglar' with £3,000. Then he's back to work and gloat in his partner's office. Then to Freda and a big kiss.
Inspector Mann of course is in the dark about all this. But he's quietly confident as he tells Freda: "we'll catch up with his killer." But privately he's more worried. Only one clue- a footprint, but the usual roundup of suspects is depressingly blank. CLUELESS YARD HUNTS KILLER read the newspaper headlines. Mann gets a break when he learns Cool-Kups were facing a takeover bid. A Fleet Street columnist tells Mann Merril is a lucky man. He was facing the back door.
Holland has been careless and instead of disposing of his gun as ordered, he's allowed a couple of motorcycle yobs to steal it from his Cool-Kups lorry outside a cafe. When they try to pawn the gun Mann swoops and takes them back to show him where they'd stolen it. Frank Merril gets wind the net is closing in- he has only one option- "reach Holland before they do." Near the cafe is The Graveyard, a vehicle dump where Holland is taking a snooze in his lorry, and Frank and Freda drive up in their Bentley to finish him off , before Mann makes the customary late police arrival to pick up the pieces.
Trivia Note- Two future cast members of TV's 'Are You Being Served' have small parts- Nicholas Smith and Larry Martin.
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The Fourth Square
A plodding drama, with, sadly, little real excitement.
This is a shame, because the opening seems promising- a masked intruder enters a lady's bedroom and cracks her safe.
Investigating is Inspector Forbes (Basil Dignam) who finds a "trademark" by the safe- two squares. A similar square had been left at the scene of the cracked safe of Fiona Foster.
But this time, it's a bit of a puzzle because according to the lady of the house, Mrs Stewart (Delphi Lawrence) nothing has been stolen. However, she is lying to the police, because she doesn't want her husband to know that an emerald ring has been stolen, and this was a gift from an admirer, millionaire Alvarez. She asks her lawyer William Lawrence (Conrad Phillips) to help retrieve the ring, as she is positive it has been stolen by Henry, her husband's adviser. So Bill pays a call on Henry and makes the interesting discovery that he was also a friend of Fiona.
Sandra is another 'friend' of the beneficient Alvarez, and he had given her an emerald bracelet. Now it has been stolen, and three squares left beside her safe.
Henry is eliminated from inquiries when he's found dead in Bill's office, a knife in his back.
Bill confides his discoveries to the apparently clueless police and is resolved to discover the recipient of the fourth and final piece of Alvarez's jewellery, before she too is robbed. Could it be The Fabulous Josetta (Miriam Karlin), the millionaire's estranged wife? Or perhaps his latest girl friend, Marie, a French film starlet.
Yes, she's wearing an emerald necklace at a party in Alvarez's Berkeley Square flat. Bill chats her up, to protect her, I think. He takes her to Josetta's night club and hardly bats an eyelid when there's an abortive attempt to snatch Marie's necklace.
The necklace is safe, as Marie finally retires to bed. The intruder breaks in and is caught. Another intruder breaks in and finds Bill curled up in Marie's bed, and thus the fourth emerald is never stolen.
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The Clue of The Silver Key (1961)
Moneylender Harvey Lane (Finlay Currie) is "the one man in the world I'd cheerfully murder," according to artist Jerry, who wants to marry the old man's niece Mary.
Seemingly unconnected with this is the death of Horace Tickler (Sam Kydd) who had been a waiter at the party launching Jerry's latest paintings. It must be a coincidence that Tickler had once worked as servant for wheelchair-bound Lane, who is now dependent on his new employee Binney (Patrick Cargill).
Jordan Worth had been the only purchaser of Jerry's pictures at the party, which is strange because today he's seeking to borrow money from Lane. What's more, though we don't actually see Worth, his voice sounds just like Binney's! More intrigue- Mike, Jerry's agent, is consulting Lane also, and he's using the name of Hardwick, Lane's bank manager.
Investigating Tickler's death is Supt Meredith (the reliable Bernard Lee). Calling on Lane, there's a shock as the old man has been shot dead. In his pocket is a silver key- but why silver? "It always has been sir," is the urbane Binney's comment.
When the policeman checks over Lane's business transactions it's apparent that Jordan Worth had been 'loaned' £100,000 over a period of time. Bank manager Hardwick (the real one this time, not the one that Lane met) shows Meredith all the perfectly genuine cheques. On the back of one is pencilled "Don't send any more Chinese...." Meredith puzzles over this and the identity of the fake bank manager and tries to locate Worth.
"I don't know anything about anything," admits a disconsolate Supt Meredith. A clue comes when Mary says that she believed Worth had been wearing a wig.
Finally Jerry's agent Mike is pinned down and he confesses he was part of the deception. But he has never met this Mr Worth. Mike is the man on whom Meredith decides to wage "psychological warfare" as he clearly knows more. He's dead! A man calling himself Worth was seen in the vicinity!
Meredith now pieces the clues together. The key question he informs a surprised Mary, is How did Lane like his eggs cooked? Once Meredith's learned the answer, he arranges for the traditional gathering of suspects and the truth is revealed in flashback. Tickler had recognised who Jordan Worth was, at that party, and so had to be silenced. Meredith explains how Jordan Worth had deceived Lane who had been getting very shortsighted, until Lane had become suspicious and called Meredith asking him to visit that fateful day
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Man Detained (1961)
The Maple Safe Job - "neat, clean and professional, and all for £20." What the police don't yet know, is that there was actually £10,000 stolen from that safe!
The two and a half minute opening sequence, without any dialogue, shows a lone thief breaking in to the office of the Maple Photographic Service (City 0211) and happily finding this huge amount of cash in the safe.
Next day he's surprised to see no news of the job in the papers, but what he doesn't know is that Mr Maple who's "a bit jumpy" has told his secretary Miss Simpson and the police that only the petty cash had been nicked.
Maple is clearly worried, and after contacting a Mr Helder (Paul Stassino) to tell him about the missing ten thousand, becomes "a drunken mess."
The thief Frank Murray is picked up by Supt Verity (Bernard Archard). But is he more than a thief, as Maple has been killed? Certainly his story about stealing £10,000 looks thin, as Maple hadn't reported such a theft. But shrewd Supt Verity knows "it doesn't add up," and a close inspection of the cash shows that it's counterfeit.
Then Mrs Maple confesses she'd been having an affair with Helder, after he has ditched her. Verity knows of this crook: "a pretty smart customer." So he's watched: "sooner or later he'll make a mistake and then we'll have him." Helder's 'mistake' is in worrying that Miss Simpson might know more than she's said about the counterfeiting. So he kidnaps her.
Yet Supt Verity isn't entirely inactive. He persuades thief Murray to try and redeem himself by blackmailing Helder and this results in a showdown at Helder's warehouse underneath the arches. The police are terribly slow in arriving as usual, so poor Murray gets a bit of a beating. Even after they appear, Helder makes a break using Miss Simpson as a shield. Finally a chase around those well known railway marshalling yards, with the traditional punishment for Helder.
To Edgar Wallace Menu
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Never Back Losers
The Mayfield Stakes- and the favourite is off to an abysmal start. Jockey Wally Sanders (George Tovey) has to face a Stewards' Enquiry. It won't happen again, he promises them. It certainly won't, as his sports car crashes at the foot of Box Hill.
Jim Matthews is an insurance investigator on his first assignment. Sanders had just taken out a £20,000 insurance against his being unable to ride again. But Sanders is too ill to interview.
So who stood to lose a lot in that race? Burnside, a bookie, points Matthews in the direction of 'Lucky' Ben Black (a rasping Patrick Magee), "the Man Who'll Bet on Anything." At the seedy Silver Moon Club, Matthews asks for Black, but is told to mind his own business, with a few actions to suit the words. When he finally encounters Black he turns out to be pretty smarmy. He says he had nothing to do with Sanders and points the finger at Clive Parker (Larry Martin), the jockey who's taken over Sanders' rides. Of course he knows nothing either; but his sister Marion (Jacqueline Ellis) tells Matthews Clive has changed since he got in with the wrong crowd.
Next stop the hospital, where Sanders has just died. His mum says his last words were "we could have walked it."
Another warning from Mr Black: "Anybody who louses me up again is going to get squashed!" Directed at Clive who's ordered to nobble Red Key so that Flash Harry can win. But Jim and Marion lead Black's cronies on a car chase so Clive can reach the course unmolested.
Once there, it's war between Black's men and Burnside's. One lot want Clive to win, one to lose, so what can Clive do? Whilst he ponders his dilemma, Black has caught up with Jim and Marion, holding them hostage. However the sporting Black agrees "If Red Key wins that race, you walk out through that door, but if he doesn't......" A significant pause.
So to the race, and after the race, the reckoning!
Jack Hedley gives a typically solid performance as the insurance investigator piecing together his jigsaw puzzle.
Edgar Wallace
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The Sinister Man
An evocative opening as a corpse floats downstream to Parsons Green lock where it is fished out by the lock keeper (Wilfred Brambell). Two weeks is the estimated time for it having been in the Thames. Death had resulted from a blow to the neck. Superintendent Wills goes to a Consort Gate embassy where he learns the man had been a professor of oriental studies at Oxford. Three priceless tablets he had been working on had disappeared with him.
At his college the superintendent questions the staff. These include Elsa Marlowe (Jacqueline Ellis) who was last to see the prof alive. Ex-Korean POW Dr Pollard (Patrick Allen) is given complete security clearance. But Dr Tarn (John Glyn-Jones) is perhaps more dubious, since he's half Czech.
Next, to a boat hire yard in Cookham, where a boat had been hired from which the body had been dumped into the river. But before the police arrive, the owner is murdered. Another karate chop had killed him. Since only the college staff knew about the superintendent's visit there, it's back to Oxford!
Suspicion falls on a Japanese fellow when the late prof's pipe is discovered in his room. But is he guilty? And why is Dr Pollard in the money suddenly? We get a glimpse of college life as we see Pollard proposing to Elsa Marlowe. She phones the Yard when she realises who the real killer is. It's Dr Pollard. He forces her to drive with him to the Bushido Judo Club. Police surround the area but Pollard threatens another karate chop, this time on the defenceless Miss Marlowe. "I'm afraid my judo's a little rusty," admits the honest Supt Wills. Police merely hang around outside the building whilst Pollard engages him in deadly judo. But finally a copper appears with a truncheon to silence the evil Pollard.
To the embassy where the tablets are recovered, into the hands of the inevitable Burt Kwouk.
Rather jarring background music at times, in Clive Donner's thriller with John Bentley ever reliable as Supt Wills.
Wallace
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Candidate for Murder
'406 CYK' is the message on a slip of paper left at the airport for a tall dark passenger. Airport car parks being of manageable size in those days, he easily manages to find the right vehicle. He's driven by a Mr Edwards (Michael Gough) to a rented isolated house. He's here as a hit man.
Donald Edwards drives home to his wife Helene. Their frosty relationship is apparent. She's a film actress due to get her big break in Hollywood. She has a "boy friend" called Robert Vaughan. (He doesn't look like THE R Vaughan.)
So who is the Candidate for Murder? "I just feel something's wrong," Helene tells Robert. Indeed there is. The assassin turns out to be a guest at Helen's farewell party, before she is due to fly to America. Donald is elsewhere, establishing an alibi. Helene has been doing some thinking about her husband- "I think he deliberately hired that man to do you some injury," she confides in Bob.
All very straightforward so far. But then a shock- after all the guests leave, she realises she's the target! A long silent scene face to face with the gunman.
Edwards returns home for a second surprise- signs of a struggle, but where's the body?
Next morning, Donald goes to meet the killer to hand over his fee. Bob, suspicious of Helene's odd disappearance, trails him. But Donald won't pay yet, demanding to see the corpse. Now Bob follows the assassin as he returns to his hideout. As a rank amateur he comes off second best and is dumped in a cellar.
Meeting No.2 between Donald and the assassin. But no body is produced. An angry Edwards shoots his employee. Then he goes to the hideout, with the half-dead killer in tow. After a slow moving first half, there's a good climax, several corpses and a fairly satisfactory ending, though the writer and director miss a trick or two since it's all too easy to guess how it's going to finish
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Backfire(1961)
Ben Curzon, boss of Venetia, a cosmetics firm, has recruited the Logans (Alfred Burke and Zena Marshall). He's a "big ideas man", she's a "beauty expert." But now the place is "rocky." Richmond Chemicals
are owed a lot of money, and payment is demanded after the weekend.
"It's time we made a move," Logan tells his spouse.
His move is to introduce Curzon to Kyser (who gets his own theme tune), who "arranges things." In particular, fires. Curzon doesn't want to employ this "madman" but with the insurance money of a quarter of a million, what choice has he?
"Noone is going to get hurt," Logan assures him.
But this prediction proves inaccurate. Whilst Kyser prepares to drool over his handiwork, a couple of hitches come to the surface. Mrs Logan's mink coat is still in the factory, not insured. Logan risks it, and returns to the factory.
But a second problem- the cleaner is working late. She finds the arsonist's equipment. Logan finds her.
The fire!
Brice, the insurance investigator, at first blames the cleaning lady. But sitting in his rubble, Curzon broods with his daughter over the conflagration. He resolves to tell Brice the truth.
Another death, Curzon's of course, which the coroner decides is suicide.
Curzon's daughter overhears Kyser discussing payment with Logan. She tells Brice, and justice is done.
Oliver Johnston gives the story integrity with his sympathetic portrayal of an old man caught up in a crime he didn't want to commit. Alfred Burke struggles with his semi-American accent and Zena Marshall is wasted.
This is a good story that sadly tails off with a disappointing ending.
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Number Six (1962)
Note- No connection of course with the tv series The Prisoner!
Cat and mouse between Scotland Yard (Michael Goodliffe) and con man Charles Valentine. He's suspected of numerous crimes, but nothing ever proved. The main fascination of the film is in guessing who is the undercover agent, codename Number Six, assigned to bring Charles Valentine to justice.
Could it be new butler Welland (Leonard Sachs), whom we meet helping Valentine move into his posh London address?
Or is it old friend Miss Clyde, a singer?
Or perhaps Jimmy Gale who helps Valentine at Miss Clyde's nightclub when a waiter attacks him. He disposes of the corpse for Valentine.
Then there's Jimmy's friend Nadia (Nadja Regin) whom Valentine is attracted to.
Supt Hallett keeps his watching brief. "Psychological warfare" as Hallett lets Valentine know that Hallett has set a watch. Who is it?asks Charles. "Number Six" is the enigmatic reply.
Certainly Welland isn't all he seems, as Valentine finds he's been snooping in his bureau. "I'm sacking your Number Six," he informs Hallett. But Welland later returns, with a gun, and Jimmy once again helps dispose of the body. He promises to help liquidate Nadia also, once she's coughed up the £100,000 she's promised to help Valentine clinch his latest venture.
Hallett warns Nadia, in Jimmy's presence, that Valentine is dangerous. He's been closely involved with the deaths of five women. But she doesn't believe him and accompanies him to his secret hideaway in the country. "I'm a dangerous person to know," Valentine warns her.
He is! He starts to suspect Jimmy is Number Six and some simple sleuthing proves Jimmy never killed that waiter. So Jimmy is drugged and with Number Six surely out of the way, Nadia again travels with Charles to his country retreat. But Jimmy has followed in his car and wants his share of the money, as he really is a criminal! Then a fight in which Valentine kills Jimmy. Enter Supt Hallet to make a simple arrest.
To Wallace
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Time to Remember (1962)
Three crooks spend all night robbing an empty house of a valuable stamp collection and jewellery. "Sammy's been round the block so many times
he must be dizzy!" remarks a perceptive Jumbo (David Lodge). When the safe is finally blown, the police are alerted and in a rooftop chase in the snow Jumbo hides the jewels down a chimney before
slipping off the roof. Getaway driver Sammy ("introducing Ray Barrett") speeds away with French Victor to the airport. Jumbo lies dying.
Mrs 'Jackson' (in reality Jumbo's widow) calls at the Estate Agents and asks the proprietor Jack (Harry H Corbett) if she can view 11 Eaton Street West. However as the police are "in possession", there might be some delay.
Jack's secretary realises Mrs Jackson's identity and helps Jack see the chance of some easy money. Jack explores the property and, on the roof, spots the jewels down the chimney. The blocked-up fireplace is opened up and he's rich!
But other eyes are watching him and Jack has to kill. In the struggle he loses his new watch, a present from his doting secretary.
With the proceeds from the jewels, Jack is able to buy the house. Sadly, as he takes possession Mrs 'Jackson' arrives
with the police claiming a reward for finding the jewels - she says they're behind the fireplace. A bit of a facer for Jack as the corpse of the man he killed, Victor, is concealed there, and of course it happens to be clutching Jack's own watch!
Harry H Corbett is excellent as the estate agent who gets out of his depth, and director Charles Jarrott maintains the pace of a plot about when thieves fall out.... A very typical early Sixties lively thriller.
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Locker Sixty Nine (1962)
A cryptic phone call to Julie Denver from Bennett
Sanders (Edward Underdown): "You know what to do." It's part of Bennett's
elaborate plan for outwitting his business partner John Griffiths (Paul
Daneman): "When I gave you your start," Bennett tells him bitterly, "you were a
tuppeny halfpenny little clerk."
After a night in town Bennett returns home
and is killed. He's found by his private detective Craig, who however is
immediately bashed on the head. The police are not convinced it's murder as
there's now no corpse! But Craig knows, and with the help of reporter Simon York
(Eddie Byrne) they talk to Julie who claims Bennett was no more than a "friend"
and Griffiths who clearly despises his partner. "He's not exactly a faithful
man," adds Griffiths. The night he died he's been seeing a girl called Eva as
well as Julie.
A file is to be opened in the event of Bennett Sanders'
death. It's kept in the Pall Mall Safe Deposit locker 69. Craig has Bennett's
written instructions to take the file to South America without the partner's
knowledge. But the file is stolen by Ralph Peters (Edwin Richfield), shadowy
partner of Julie, and Craig has disappeared!
Miguel, brother of Eva is a
suspect when he's found searching through Craig's rooms. He and Eva have a
strong motive as their family were killed indirectly by the firm of Sanders and
Griffiths when they had sent dodgy food aid to their South American village.
Miguel had sworn to kill them both.
Julie is leaving for South America. At
the airport she's to meet her confederates who have the file. Reporter Simon
intercepts Ralph who's with the once dead Bennett. Simon jokes he's arrived to
"pay respects to the dead." Retorts Bennett: "if it's repentance you're looking
for, I'm not the man." Well, you knew, didn't you, Edward Underdown wouldn't
have disappeared after the first scene! The sorry story of blackmail, corruption
and double cross is ploddingly revealed. A long argument about food before the
crooks draw a gun and leave for the airport, and Julie. Out of the car and on to
the runway, except the police, in the traditional style, swoop
Wallace
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Solo for Sparrow (1962)
Last to lock up at Reynolds a jewellers shop, is old Miss Martin, who is followed on her homeward train to Harland. She never reaches home as the crooks bustle in to their car to steal the keys and help themselves to the safe. It all goes very smoothly, with the slight exception that the unfortunate Miss Martin dies.
"It's a case for Scotland Yard isn't it?" but local detective Inspector Sparrow (Glyn Houston) wants to pursue his own offbeat line of inquiry. However it's the man from the Yard who asks the most pertinent question: "would you trust an old lady to lock up?"
Sparrow has ten day's leave. But his idea of a holiday is try and solve this crime! At least he can do so without any interference from the Yard. He takes his girl friend, who calls him by the rather formal "Sparrow" to a posh country club, but it's not for her sake really, he's bent on following Reynolds (Anthony Newlands).
"Bending the law a little," he arranges for a minor crook to tap Reynolds' phone. A little more 'bending' as he calls Reynolds up anonymously claiming he knows all about the safe job. This certainly gets Reynolds "scared" and he contacts his confederates to come and discuss the situation at the Horse and Groom. But Reynolds never turns up as his wife, who obviously wears the pants, orders him to go out with her. The crooks realise what Sparrow has been up to and kidnap him. It looks like The End but he sets up a booby trap which kills his guard and gets away. But not far as there's a chase round a farmyard in an improbable gunfight. A defenceless chicken accounts for Barney (Michael Caine), before the police arrive slightly later than on cue to arrest the rest of the gang.
Glyn Houston helps make a fairly routine drama memorable. Good location scenes also.
Edgar Wallace Menu
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The Set Up (1962)
"My wife reads that sort of stuff in bed. Even she doesn't believe it!"
Thus the police superintendent of Arthur's dubious story. Just out of jail, he had been travelling without a valid ticket on a train and a kind passenger, Theo Gaunt (Maurice Denham) had offered to pay the 17/6d. A friend of Theo's had later offered
him a job: "how would you like to earn some money, Arthur? Real money. £100." Perhaps that was "real" in them days! The man, a film producer (Anthony Bate) wants the gullible Arthur to steal some diamonds from a safe - the man's own safe!
But during the robbery Arthur is interrupted and a woman is shot dead.
There are a lot of twists now in Roger Marshall's story. "One new twist," says the sergeant, " is he used the telephone. Oh, and he didn't wear gloves." So it's easy to work out Arthur is guilty. Another twist is that the dead woman is wife of the kind
railway passenger, "one of the richest, most important men in the county."
Arthur hides out in a cottage. Another twist - he tells Pamela, the attractive young occupant, that he didn't kill the woman. She goes off to Inspector Johnson (John Carson) with this story.
"Wouldn't I have come up with a better story than that if I was lying?" Arthur asks Johnson. Indeed his story does check out.
Meanwhile the two posh crooks have fallen out. Gaunt is being blackmailed for £25,000. The police arrive to question Gaunt just as he's legging it. The blackmailers rather conveniently arrive also. Rather a feeble end after a promising start.
At least there's a memorable final line - "Is there anything more pathetic," concludes Gaunt sadly, "than a middle aged fool?"
Wallace
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The 20,000 Pound Kiss (1962)
Michael Goodliffe stars as Sir Harold Trevitt QC MP who enters a neighbour's flat when he's told there's an intruder. However no sign of anyone, and he gets a kiss (of thanks?) from the wife of the owner, Maxine (Dawn Addams).
By a strange coincidence Paula Blair, the maid, happens to photograph the event and blackmail to the tune of £5,000 is requested. As Maxine's husband Leo is a very jealous man, she doesn't feel she can tell him. So Sir Harold consults a
private detective, John Durran (Richard Thorp, fresh from Emergency Ward 10).
The blackmail money is handed over, and then we see what it's all about: Leo is also at the maid's flat. As he says it's "The Case of a Man Blackmailing His Own Wife."
Durran enlists the help of Inspector Waveney (Alfred Burke) at Scotland Yard. Police files show the maid has been suspected of being involved in this racket before, though noone came forward to admit anything. Durran comments to the
inspector: "if I can just find who the accomplice is....." He predicts there will be more demands for money and he's proved correct. Another £5,000. Sir Harold borrows a pistol of Leo's this time, but finds the maid already dead.
He's obviously the prime suspect, so Durran tells him to leave before he calls the police. He's puzzled as to why the maid was shot at least an hour before Sir Harold Trevitt went to see her. "A clever man would have shot just before Trevitt got there."
Waveney and Durran are in agreement that Leo must be the accomplice, but why would he kill her? Leo meanwhile, is asking £10,000 from Sir Harold
to keep it quiet about the pistol that was borrowed. Next Maxine, who's falling for Durran just to complicate things, finds yet another body. It's Leo, with Trevitt, as is customary, crouched over the corpse - "he was trying to blackmail me," he tells her. True.
"You weren't here," is her response. However there is a condition to this statement, yet more money, this time an even larger sum, £15,000.
Sir Harold, as a side plot, is getting married. On his wedding day the police send him a polite message to call in at Maxine's on the way to the nuptials. With Durran, Waveney summarises the plot so far, with one new twist - proof as to who did the murders.
A confusing explanation follows in which director John Moxey seems to want to send up the whole plot.
Story List
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Incident at Midnight (1962)
Vince Warren (William Sylvester) chats up the wife of Eric Leichner (Anton Diffring) whilst Leichner makes a million with girl friend Vanessa. But when they fall out, she winds up dead.
The main action, if it can be called that, is at an all night chemists where disgraced Dr Schroder (Martin Miller) wiles away the hours. He recognises Leichner from the old days and believes he's an imposter.
Arriving at the chemists is a badly injured man, in need of "patching up." Although struck off, Schroder agrees to help- "it's not going to be easy," he admits. Of course the man and his friends are criminals- they have stolen £50,000, killing a security guard in the process. They close up the chemists, but Leichner manages to break in. He's come for the Key, only one of the crooks has passed it to the wrong person. The police arrive in the shape of Inspector Macready (Peter Howell) to find Leichner shot dead- "the party's just warming up!"
The Key is passed to Warren, who's actually a US narcotics agent. It opens a locker where the stolen money has been hidden. There's a final shootout at the chemists and a chase down an underground escalator with £50,000 showering downwards in the only memorable moment in a story which despite its strong cast is slow moving and frankly awful.
Edgar Wallace
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On the Run (1963).
Why should model prisoner Frank Stewart escape jail? "Completely out of character," remarks the governor. He'd been caught after stealing some bonds from his office safe, but managed to hide them before his arrest. We see this in an exciting opening sequence in a deserted Sunday morning London.
Frank makes his way to the Helen Carr Model Agency where his daughter Jean works. He hasn't seen her for three years and has to ask the owner (Sarah Lawson) for Jean's new address. But Jean's not there: she's gone to confide in Helen after the police have questioned her. Oddly veteran Patrick Barr plays the sergeant whilst youngster Garfield Morgan is the inspector.
"You've been double-crossed," warns Mackay, who'd sprung Frank. His wife's lover, Wally Lucas was behind the scheme, but why? asks Frank. Pretty obvious I would have thought. He learns the truth when he pays a visit on his wife, and happens to overhear her and Wally discussing the whole plan- they want those bonds.
So Frank makes for a sympathetic shoulder ie Helen. "Give yourself up, Frank," is her advice, "tell the police where the bonds are, it's the only way." But he insists he's going to do it his way. "Whatever you do," she urges, "do it quickly for your own sake."
Posing as the police, Jean has more visitors. Really they are Lucas' gang. They convince her to reveal where her dad is. They find him at Helen's and he gets a bit of a going over to persuade him to reveal the whereabouts of the bonds. He yields when they threaten to duff up Helen. But Frank manages to escape their clutches and race off to the hiding place in a sewer. He's first! There the bonds are. But Lucas and his cronies arrive. A fight to the finish in the sewage. Fortunately the police are close behind. But there are no winners.
Generally quite an exciting film, with Frank sympathetic and rather a pathetic figure in the end.
Wallace
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Return to Sender (1962)
"I'm a police officer," announces John Horsley for what must have been the thousandth time. He's arresting Dino (Nigel Davenport) and just he was was leaving the country too.
Dino faces seven years for a £250,000 fraud. Prosecuting lawyer Robert Lindley (Geoffrey Keen) needs to be "fixed": "stop Lindley," Mike (William Russell) is ordered, "I don't care how you do it." In a nicely oblique interview in Davenport's best growling voice, Dino tells Mike "I don't want Lindley scratched from the card. I want him to run. But I want him lame."
But Lindley is a man of integrity. Lisa Maxwell who used to work for Dino could prove an invaluable witness. Against his better judgement, Lindley goes to her flat where a camera, operated by Mike, records his unintentional proximity to Miss Maxwell. A little doctoring completes the job and Mike travels to Lindley's riverside bungalow at Wraysbury with his photo. Now we learn why Mike is so keen on this job- it's because Lindley had put him away. But Mike is slightly deflected from his task by Beth, Lindley's daughter: "you're very sweet, Mike." She has her own agenda.
Mike's plan is for Lisa to go at night to the bungalow. Mike will start a fire and the press will arrive and an "affair" between Lisa and the lawyer will soon be in all the gossip columns. But Mike "can't see what's coming to him" as Dino is only using him. What Mike doesn't know is that Lisa is really Dino's wife. At least Lindley discovers this in time and realises his star witness couldn't possibly testify.
But there's another twist as Dino puts his own plan into action. Improbably, I must say, he's been having it off with Beth and has persuaded her Mike must be silenced. After a resume of the plot, to clarify, possibly, everyone's motives it dawns on Mike "you're a sick man, Dino." There's a moment of truth as Lindley returns home.
There's one twist too many in this story with clean-cut William Russell, no doubt trying to get away from his typecasting, not entirely convincing as a scheming villain."
Wallace
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The Double (1963)
A story that's just a little too clever by half. It starts at Gatwick where wheelchair-bound Johnny has flown in with Mary (Jeanette Sterke). Her sister Jane (Jane Griffiths) drives them home to Brighton. We learn why Johnny is in a chair- he believes he killed his business partner Derek, but his mind has blotted out all memory of the "ordeal." No corpse was ever found, but he has vague memories of a house, 'The Roof of the World' which was a few miles from the sea.
It's the name of a house near Poynings and Johnny recalls there was a hidden safe there.
Derek is now a successful businessman with "the Midas touch." He certainly does look like John's old partner. Mary gets a temporary job as his secretary.
Jane finds out Johnny has now remembered quite a lot, including the fact that he is apparently called Derek; so a fair question is, who is the man calling himself Derek? Now Derek 2 recalls how his legs got paralysed- the real Johnny (the man calling himself Derek, if you follow) had given him an injection.
With half a million pounds at stake, no wonder the real Johnny is buying everyone he can off, including the solicitor that Derek mark 2 and Mary are employing. She hopes to learn the secret of the Roof of the World from local builder Jason Hobart, but finds him dead.
The final confrontation between Johnny and Derek in which a deal is struck, but in his wheelchair Derek 2, the one we originally met as Johnny is a sitting duck. But what Derek 1, that is the real Johnny, doesn't know is that Derek 2 has now recovered!
Wallace
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The Rivals (1963)
Along a peaceful suburban street, with no moving cars in sight, car thieves steal a Ford Consul. Inside they find a package with the note "Christina safe. £75,000 if you want to see her again." Newspapers are full of the story of the disappearance of Miss Nielsen, heiress of a Swedish industrialist. The thieves, Steve and Teddy, decide to get the ransom for themselves and send Nielsen instructions for payment. Nielsen with his secretary have to follow a prescribed route to Wimbledon Golf Course where the money is deposited in a hut. After checking the loot, Nielsen is informed where to find his daughter. All very straightforward, except the address of 12 Barham Road Raynes Park is that of his secretary! At home she discovers the real kidnappers, Paul and Alex, have, not unnaturally, moved their prize, but she knows where. and whizzes off to a houseboat. Nielsen has followed and is reunited with his darling.
Paul had traced the breakers yard from where Steve operates and is at his home to await them and their loot. In the ensuing kerfuffle Paul gets shot, so does Teddy, as the crooks fall out.
Perhaps rather a predictable finale but the plot is more complex than we have described and is directed with pace by old hand Max Varnel.
Wallace
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To Have and to Hold (1963)
In the style of an old-fashioned film, wandering along a derelict beach is a lonely figure, reflecting "on where it all started." The hero Henry Frazer(Ray Barrett) is much more the modern amoral type of hero, and we see him thinking back to when he was enjoying himself, I think the word is, with his new girl friend on this Bournemouth beach. He's officially there on work, as his "dear kind inspector" Roberts (a superb William Hartnell) reminds him.
His next assignment is Flat 14 High Trees House SW12 where the attractive Mrs Matthews has requested police protection as her former boy friend Martin has been phoning, threatening to kill her. Her husband is away on business. Frazer spends an inordinate amount of time on this Case of The Frightened Lady, not always strictly in the line of business. But then she is found dead, battered to death with the usual blunt instrument.
If No 1 suspect is Martin, No 2 is George her husband. No 3 is Frazer himself and he's given two weeks leave.
Arne Cliff House, Sandbanks, Bournemouth is where George is now staying. Nosing around the place, Frazer encounters Claudia Matthews- but although she looks like the dead woman, she explains she is her twin sister Pauline Carstairs. George has killed her sister, she is sure of that: "trap him into an admission of guilt" is their joint scheme, and each day she reports to him of progress at a nearby beach hut. After a week exposing George seems less important than a spot of romance.
Finally she admits she is actually Claudia: "you really haven't guessed!" She explains their original plan was for her lover George to murder his real wife and put the battered corpse in Claudia's bedroom. Since she'd met Frazer all this had changed. It seems only justice that as George is guilty he should be punished. A suitable site for his car accident is found: "it will be all right?" she queries.
After using his earlier girl friend to establish an alibi, Frazer speeds off in 6175RW for his night encounter with George. However George, driving up in 466 GNM is ready with his gun and the truth finally dawns on Frazer. There's a fight- Claudia shoots and accidentally kills George.
Then we return to the beach at the start. Inspector Roberts steps up to take his prisoner away.
Wallace
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Five to One (1963)
Which is the best film in the Wallace series? This must be a strong candidate.
Roger Marshall's story begins at a posh country club where John Thaw and Lee Montague discuss a £60,000 robbery. At Larry's (LM) usual rate of 5-1 that means Alan Roper will be paid £12,000 of the "most anonymous money you ever saw."
We see Roper's meticulous plans: 1. Blackmail. An insurance worker is forced to reveal information about Larry himself.
2. Disable the burglar alarm at Larry's betting shop. Mate John does this part of the operation.
3. John buys some 'plastic' at Elmbrook Garage.
Yes, the £12,000 that Larry is collecting as payment is, as Roper explains, "so we can rob Him."
After doctoring the milk bottles on Larry's smart doorstep, Alan and John find Larry and his wife later that night nicely drugged. Whilst the married couple doze in bed ("wonder if it was the sleeping pills or the television"), the bedroom safe is opened and an impression of his keys is taken.
Then a dummy raid on the betting shop to persuade Larry to keep the £12,000 payoff in his safe at home. All very subtle and complex, so no wonder John wants to make it all a lot simpler!
The night for the robbery. But the best laid plans etc, and Larry's wife is unexpectedly at home. She's tied up and can only watch whilst Alan and John open the safe. It doesn't open. Larry's been ultra-careful and changed the combination that they had taken so much pains to learn!
Consternation. Alan devises a new plan.
Larry returns home in his flash sports car and checks his safe. At this point he's bashed on the head and the safe is finally emptied of its contents. But the crooks never get away, the police are waiting. They had made one fatal slip.
Wallace menu
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The Verdict (1964)
This film asks the interesting question, can a British jury be fixed?
Deported from the USA, Joe Armstrong returns to England with his 'secretary' Carola. Greeting him is Larry Mason (Nigel Davenport) who Joe once helped beat a prison rap. Danny, known in London as King of the Underworld (Paul Stassino) is told by Joe he will have to "abdicate."
However police also want to meet Joe. He's wanted in connection with the death of Harmsworth who died as long as 24 years ago, just before, in fact, Joe left here for the States. Joe knows he's guilty and that the police have the evidence to prove it. Larry can repay that favour when Joe is put on trial. "Money talks anywhere" so can Larry fix the jury? Larry is doubtful but devises an ingenious scheme to intercept summons to jury members and then produce his own panel of jurors.
As expected Joe is arrested so Larry swings his plan into action. Danny offers to look after Joe's "business interests" while he's out of circulation and Larry has to do a deal with him after Carola is snatched. A mail van is relieved of its summons to jurors and Larry prepares his own jury, but Danny gets wind of the scheme and demands £50,000.
Joe agrees to write a cheque, to cash, for Danny, but now Larry gets greedy. By chance one of the prospective jurors, Phillips-Greene, happens to be a client of his business, and he is in financial difficulties. In return for having these problems solved, Phillips-Greene agrees to leave the country immediately. Then the summons are returned to the mail system and Danny has no more hold over Joe and Larry. "Everything's going as planned," Larry informs Carola.
Now it's Joe's trial. The jury troop in, the one named Phillips-Greene looks amazingly like Larry Mason! Then the jury retire to consider their verdict. The foreman, P-G himself, gives it- the verdict is Guilty! Joe is sentenced to be hanged.
Larry's OK though, he has that £50,000 cheque to cash. He flies off to South America. Carola catches up with him on the way to the airport, and wants her share.
"Just one moment, sir," policemen intercept Larry at the airport. Unfortunately the cash strapped P-G is wanted for fraud and isn't Larry P-G? A nice final twist.
Wallace
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We Shall See (1964)
No bust of EW in the titles - probably he was turning in his grave over this feeble effort.
A scream. A frightenend lady. Only a bee! Neurotic Alva doesn't want her airline pilot husband Evan to go to work today. But at least her brother Greg has come to stay. On his way to the airport Evan has a crash. Whilst Alva visits him in hospital persuading him
that his job as "an aerial bus driver" is over, Greg rifles the house for his late mother's key which will open a safe deposit, and which Alva has hidden.
Evan recovers in hosptal, not thanks to his wife, more to charming nurse Rosemary. He learns his wife is a psychopath. Apparently he'd never guessed. Alva has so many 'enemies' apart from Evan and Greg.
For instance, her gardener is found keeping bees and she promptly sacks him.
The gardener's daughter, who has a crush on Evan, also hates her - "I would like to see those bees all over her," is her rather unpleasant idea.
Alva finally leaves Evan, on the eve of his trial for dangerous driving. A charge of drunk driving is dropped. But surprise surprise, Alva rolls into court to create a scene, insisting he was tiddly.
Afterwards, Evan finds consolation in Rosemary. Will he ever escape her persecution? "It's got to be," he announces enigmatically.
Alva is staying at the Gatwick Manor Inn. We all know what's going to happen to her. Yes - a swarm of bees are introduced into her room. It's like Hitch's The Birds only The Bees. Enter the police with the brilliant deduction "everyone here had some reason for wishing
Mrs Alva Collins out of the way."
At least there's a good performance from Maurice Kaufmann as Evan, but even the final surprise can't pull the sting out of a story that is too fearfully tedious in its build up to its predictable climax
Wallace
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Face of a Stranger (1964)
A gritty thriller directed by John Moxey.
Vince (Jeremy Kemp) and Johnny (Philip Locke) are prison mates.
When the latter loses some of his remission just prior to his release, Vince agrees to explain to John's blind wife Mary (Rosemary Leach), who's been waiting for him to get out and collect the loot he's stashed away. "I've never had a friend like you," beams a grateful Johnny.
He wouldn't be so pleased if he could see Vince on the outside.
He's travelled down to Mary's isolated Parkedge Cottage. She hears him whistling as he walks up to his house and gets so thrilled she's nearly run over by a passing vehicle. Vince has to save her, and when he comes to, he realises she believes he's her husband. Gradually they become more than 'friends.' However local landowner Michael Forrest (Bernard Archard) rumbles him saying he looks nothing like his photo! Even Mary admits prison's changed him. Vince suggests a change of home, as the inevitable is about to happen- Johnny's coming out.
Vince meets him outside the jail and the too-trusting Johnny goes with Vince to Waterloo where the loot is stashed away in a locker. Then, in a lonely place, it is of course the end of the road for Johnny as his body is destroyed in a petrol soaked car that is pushed over the proverbial cliff.
With the stolen cash, Vince returns to Mary. Surely all is now rosy, but it's Vince who gets a nasty surprise. He's not the only one who's been cheating! It's all part of the evil plan of Forrest to get the cash, with Mary's connivance. There's a gunshot and Vince is left alone with Mary for the final showdown of the real truth. Or, as Pilate once asked, what is the truth?
Wallace
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. Never Mention Murder (1964)
Nicely done titles, but this Robert Banks Stewart script has no connection with Edgar Wallace.
Honeymoon Island (or is it Folkestone?) has some new arrivals, one is tailing Tony and Liz (Maxine Audley trying to do an Audrey Hepburn). The private detective Carstairs takes his photos and tape recording to Liz's doctor husband (Dudley Sutton).
Tony Sorbo is the hotel entertainer, he does a mind reading act with Zita his wife (Pauline Yates).
Dr Teasdale is a top heart surgeon, whilst Liz spends her spare time painting, that is when she's not snogging with Tony.
Having been told of his wife's infidelity, our unhippocratic doctor introduces some foreign powder into Tony's anti-smoking tablets. Tony collapses in the middle of his act. Teasdale just happens to be on call, so rushes on the scene- "we'll give you something to help you sleep," he tells Tony. To Zita he adds "an operation may be necessary." Of course it is. He says he has to insert a cardiac catheter. So in Theatre No 3 it's on with the surgical gloves, and we all know what he's preparing to do next. But an unscheduled batch of students appear to watch him at work, so Teasdale announces after a lot of poking about, "I want to take a closer look in a few days." No doubt when less eyes are upon him.
Re-enter the private eye who asks Zita if she'd like to buy his dossier on Tony. When Carstairs the detective gets the whole picture he has "a little chat" with his earlier client Teasdale, demanding £1,000 for starters. But afters for Carstairs is a dose of chloroform. The car he's been driving is then pushed over the cliff. He's inside.
Troubles never come singly and now it's Zita Sorbo who's giving Liz a few eyeopeners about her husband's activities. As Operation 2 starts, a policeman (Philip Stone) enters the theatre- Stop the Operation is sort of what he says, though he says it more staidly: "I have reason to believe the patient is in danger." But he'll be in a worse fix if Teasdale doesn't continue with the operation. Under the watchful eyes of the law, what can go wrong? Plenty for Dr Teasdale...
Wallace
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. The Main Chance (1964)
- no bust of Edgar Wallace at start.
"I have insomnia. The way I get to sleep is counting money." Thus lucky gambler Blake (Edward de Souza). The baddies obtain the key to his flat and send a girl to discover more about the enigmatic Blake.
They decide he can be of help to them.
So Blake drives his Triumph Vitesse to a posh residence where a Mr Potter (Gregoire Aslan) shows off his hi-tec laboratory. "I want you to do a job for me," announces Potter, not exactly a surprise statement.
But for £1500 Blake's not interested. Some "friendly persuasion," or to be more exact financial pressure and a robbery bring him to heel.
So to the job- collect and deliver a package. But Blake has ideas of his own. With gambling buddy Hayes he speculates on the whereabouts of the disused airfield he has to drop the package.
The day of the job. Just who can trust who? Some sequences in the light aircraft follow, which will interest flying enthusiasts. The cargo, diamonds, is collected. Blake then lands, as he had guessed, at Stapleford and hands it over to Potter's rep. Potter's rep is relieved of
it by Blake's mates.
But they get a shock when they open the parcel - it's filled with mere stones. So where are the diamonds? With Blake naturally. Hayes and Potter confer to seek revenge. Thanks to his advanced lab, Potter knows the whereabouts of the plane. He radios Blake to
tell him there are explosives on board, and they will be remotely detonated, unless.... How will it end?
A stylish thriller, if a little slow at times, well performed. by a mostly B movie cast.
Wallace List
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Change Partners (1965)
I like this story about Anna (Zena Walker at her nasty worst) who goads her lover Ricky into doing something about their relationship which is rather marred by the fact that they are both married. "Supposing Ben and Betty were found in circumstances pointing to an affair," the dominant Anna suggests to poor Ricky. He wonders what she might mean by "found."
The plan is to get Betty to drive the perennially drunk Ben home from a shareholder's meeting, in a car which has been tampered with in advance by Ricky. Betty parks the vehicle in the integral garage but the engine refuses to switch off, and what's worse, Anna is lurking nearby and has slammed the door shut. Anna stands outside as Betty chokes to death. Ben's too drunk to notice.
"We've got away with it," Anna reassures Ben, who is getting a conscience about it all. But what they didn't know is that a certain Joe and Jean have been spying on them at their secret trysts, and Joe appears on the doorstep demanding a little "insurance." Anna fobs him off, convincing Joe that Ben and Betty were also lovers. Garage Suicide Pact read the headlines, which seems to confirm Anna's tale.
"We got away with it," repeats Anna grinning at the nervous Ricky. But Joe has realised it doesn't quite add up and approaches Ricky for "a couple of thousand" plus "fifty a week." In a panic, Ben obeys Anna's order to come to The White Hart where Joe is living it up with his girl. He's in the money now. "When he comes out, you follow him," Anna tells Ricky. Drive him off the road is all he has to do. A doubtful Ricky carries out her instructions: "I almost enjoyed it," he tells her afterwards. We have just witnessed that familar shot of a car plunging in flames over a cliff.
The story is an excellent parable of a character drawn deeper and deeper into the mire. Of course it's still not all over. Joe had been two-timing Jean, who now phones Ricky: "you're not getting away with it." Anna intervenes, in a barbed scene which ends in a monetary gift from Anna to Jean. "There's no end to it," moans the beaten Ricky. "All the spine's gone out of you," Anna tells him. She plans for them to leave the country as their only option, but instead, he locks himself in the garage and turns on the ignition. Anna doesn't get away either.
Wallace
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Strangler's Web (1965)
A straightforward story with some good moments: Griffith Jones as a has-been great of the Theatre, John Stratton as a laid back lawyer, plus a fascinating conversation directed by John Moxey, shot on location on a sports car on the A3.
Opening titles are a spider's web. On Hampstead Heath, crouched over a dead body is John Vichelski (Michael Balfour) utttering the one word "Norma," holding the cord that has strangled her. No-good lawyer Preston has the task of defending him. Apparently John had been living with this Norma Brent. Last night they had argued over her relationship with accountant Amos Colfax, who claims Norma believed she was coming in to a large sum of money, from what source he knew not. Once Norma had been in show biz and in her house are pictures of Gipsy Rose Lee, Jack Buchanan and Jackson Delacorte. This last, "the Romantic Idol of the West End Theatre,' now lives as a recluse in a splendid mansion guarded by his niece Miss Anderson, "a formidable young lady." Another friend of Norma's, who'd been on stage with her was Mary Pretty- her daughter Nell now owns a discotheque. Played by Pauline Boty, I am afraid this is one actress who can't act. In a monotone, she explains to Preston her mother had been killed in a car crash, whilst travelling with Delacorte.
The police (Gerald Harper) arrest Colfax for passing dud cheques, signed by Delacorte. Colfax says Norma had told him it was safe as houses as Delcorte wouldn't dare prosecute. This provides the opportunity for an interview with the shy Delacorte, who says he han't seen "dear sweet" Norma for many a year.
Preston takes Nell to Brighton where her mother had been killed. At the Registry Office he finds that a Melanie Brent had been born to Norma- father J Delacorte. Melanie turns out to be 'Miss Anderson.' Norma knew of Delacorte's relationship with Nell Pretty, blackmailing him for £50,000 which he had paid to protect his reputation. He had killed Norma: "I strangled her," he confesses. But from where did he obtain the cord? Melanie finally admits that it was she who had killed her mother.
Wallace
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Dead Man's Chest (1965) with John Thaw
Johnnie and Dave plan an "exciting giggle" to expose the dangers of circumstantial evidence, but mostly to get themselves press publicity. Johnnie is to hide himself in a large chest for a few minutes after they stage a fake murder, but their scheme goes awry when the Vanguard Estate in which Dave places the chest is stolen by a gang for using in a bank getaway.
"A man is going to suffocate," shouts a desperate Dave to the police. But they have had enough of his gimmicky stunts and don't believe him, until, that is, "neanderthal" Inspector Briggs (John Collin) spots some blood in Dave's flat. But where has Johnnie disappeared to? What starts as a promising story deteriorates into "a very interesting case," at least that's what Dave's solicitor (Geoffrey Bayldon) calls it. For me, the story drags on and on, until the crooks read all the newspaper publicity about the missing chest and claim a reward for its discovery. The chest is opened by Inspector Briggs- empty except for a large statue.
Going to Wales, Dave's wife manages to track down Johnnie, who claims he was keeping in hiding as part of their gimmick. So he never got into that chest and Dave ends up a wiser man. "What was it all for?" Johnnie asks him. "Good question," replies Dave. No comment, I say.
Thus the series ended sadly on a low. Possibly this story is only of interest for a good support cast that also includes Peter Bowles as a crook with a very high pitched voice and Graham Crowden as a brusque Scottish newspaperman.
Edgar Wallace Menu
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MERTON PARK STUDIOS
A small studios - with big ambitions! Short Films were made here from before World War One, but it was really the boom of the British cinema industry in the 1950s that was the making of the studio.
Their most successful series of films were made at this time - the half hour Scotland Yard series. Numerous B films were also made here.
TV competition finally forced closure in 1967.